Life Lessons in Paris, part 1

“How cringe would it be if I started singing right now?” Andrew asked.

We had just finished dinner and were heading back to the beach volleyball tournament when we passed by a random church. Andrew wanted to check it out, so we went inside. It was your typical Catholic church, with high ceilings, stained glass windows, and an iPad kiosk for tithes and offerings. Size-wise it was nothing special compared to other churches in Europe, but it’s also not something you run into everyday in California.

I had met Andrew that day through my church volleyball friend Ethan, as they were both studying abroad in Rome and had planned a quick weekend trip to Paris to watch the beach volleyball tournament. (In fact, it was Ethan who originally told me about the tournament and made me jealous enough to make the trip myself.)

Andrew had grown up singing in choir, and clearly wanted to test the acoustics of the space, but was a bit hesitant since there were still a few people milling around.

“You should do it,” I encouraged him. “People won’t care.” 

Ethan chimed in, “Yeah, go ahead.”

“All right,” he said. 

I was facing Andrew’s back at this point so I couldn’t see his face, but when he started singing Ave Maria it sounded so amazing I legitimately wondered if that was Andrew’s voice. I mean, I had been talking to him the whole day and he didn’t sound anything like that. But of course, it was him singing, and I (and probably Ethan) was in awe. The acoustics of the location only enhanced the ethereal quality of his voice, which made it feel like a spiritual experience given the setting.

What surprised me even more was that it didn’t faze the other parishioners at all; they didn’t stop to admire the singing, they just continued talking amongst themselves, as if people normally break out into song at church.

It feels silly to say that this was a highlight of the trip, but it was. The whole sequence of events that led up to this point was unexpected and serendipitous…from me “spontaneously” going to Paris in the first place, to meeting up with Ethan and Andrew, to passing by the church on the way back from dinner, and then encouraging Andrew to sing when he was unsure.

While I’m not known for being spontaneous, I do appreciate that it’s often these serendipitous moments that make life memorable and fun. Not only that, but Andrew’s song in that random church is a reminder to me that sometimes, cool things happen when we embrace the cringe and step out of our comfort zones.